Hurricane Knocks Out 42% Of US Gulf Of Mexico Oil Output

Hurricane Michael on Oct. 10 cut 42% of U.S. Gulf of Mexico (GoM) daily crude oil production and nearly one-third of natural gas output, the largest reductions in a year, after companies evacuated staff and shut-in platforms as a precaution.

Michael slammed into the Florida Panhandle on Oct. 10 as a fast-moving, Category 4 storm bringing heavy rains and winds of 155 miles per hour (249 kph) to the U.S. southeast.

Companies turned off daily production of 718,877 barrels of oil and 812 million cubic feet of natural gas by midday on Oct. 10, according to the federal offshore regulator, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE).